


Along the Paths

by KpKstudios



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Angst, F/M, M/M, Manga Spoilers Until Chapter 120, Mention of Death, Mentioned Erwin Smith, Mentioned Marco Bott, Mentioned Moblit Berner - Freeform, The Paths
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-30
Updated: 2020-08-30
Packaged: 2021-03-07 03:15:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 5,046
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26199934
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KpKstudios/pseuds/KpKstudios
Summary: If you had the ability to give someone one last chance to say goodbye, would you do it - even if that someone was your enemy?Armin uses his intellect and discovers a way for Annie and Reiner to meet Bertholdt in the Paths Realm. But Bertholdt has more to give: Messages from the dead. Messages for the living.
Relationships: Levi/Erwin Smith, Marco Bott/Jean Kirstein, Moblit Berner/Hange Zoë, Reiner Braun/Bertolt Hoover
Comments: 2
Kudos: 46





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> As usual: All the Characters belong to Hajime Isayama. However, I own the storyline for this story.

“Armin, what do you plan to do,” Mikasa asked, her hands curling around his sleeve to hold him back. His eyes were focused on the two individuals on the other side of the fire. Despite Annie being notorious for expertly hiding her emotions, Armin could sense her uneasiness. She tightly clutched Reiner’s arm, who was now laying on the ground, face steaming and covered in blood after Jean had had his outburst.

“Mikasa,” Armin began, turning his head to meet her intense, warning gaze. “Do you know what Ymir said? That she saw a path in the sky when she awoke?” Mikasa’s mouth went slightly ajar, her face otherwise void of any emotion. She swallowed roughly.

“She mentioned it before, yes,” she nodded. “But what does this have to do with Reiner and Annie?” Armin looked from the corner of his eye where he could hear soft cries coming from the blonde man. His face had now healed somewhat, and the steam was dissipating.

“Bertholdt,” a whine. “Bertholdt, why?” Annie went to wrap her arms around him, cradling him to her chest. She too was whimpering, muffled sounds escaping the gap between her lips.

“Shh, Reiner,” she hushed, tilting her head down to hide her own tears from onlookers. He responded with quiet cries, mumbling about how ‘Bertholdt didn’t deserve it’ and ‘it should’ve been him’. Annie’s grip tightened around the large frame, burying her face in the base of his neck. Their cries slowly began to fade.

“Why,” she paused. “Bertholdt wasn’t even mentioned.” Mikasa looked downright confused. She was right, the man’s name hadn’t been mentioned. Nevertheless, something has to have caused this sudden reaction from the two. Armin only spared her a solemn smile.

“We’ve all lost someone,” his eyes darted to the forest where Jean had recently disappeared into. “Levi lost Erwin, Hanji lost Moblit, Jean lost Marco,” he let out a small sigh, “and for them, it was Bertholdt. Talking about Marco must’ve triggered it.” Mikasa looked to the two, eyes strained and unwavering.

“Bertholdt deserved it,” she said, her eyes once again meeting Armin’s. “Marco did not.” The atmosphere grew quiet at that. Did Marco deserve to die? No, but then again, neither did anyone else. This was a war with two sides, any losses on either side could not be cruelly defined as being _deserved_.

Armin piped up, his voice coming out as a whisper. “That’s where you’re wrong, Mikasa.” Her eyes widened, disbelief written all over her face. Of course, why should she understand, she hasn’t seen what he has.

“Armin,” she warned. “Have you gone completely insane? They attacked us! They are the reason all our loved ones have been dying from the monsters outside the walls! They tried to kidnap Eren! Why should they not deserve it?” Her screamed gathered the attention of the others around the fire, their eyes now locked onto Armin, waiting for his answer.

“You haven’t seen what I have,” he mumbled, guilty glancing at Annie and Reiner, who now sat huddled together, glares also fixed on him. He quickly looked away, settling to stare at the ground instead. “When I became the Colossal Titan, I didn’t just receive the power of one of the nine titans.” Annie and Reiner’s eyes widened, finally remembering that which they already knew. “I received Bertholdt’s memories as well.” Gasps filled the air, a quiet whimper coming from Reiner.

“Armin-,“ she began, but he would not let her finish. “Please, Mikasa, let me speak.” Despite her stubborn demeanor, Mikasa decided to listen for once.

“As I was saying,” he continued. “I have seen all of Bertholdt’s memories. Or more precisely, he has shown me all of his memories, walking with me through every moment. The feeling was surreal. It was as if I was living a second life. I saw how much Annie, Reiner, and Bertholdt relied on becoming warriors to better their families’ lives. I saw them hesitate at the walls, even if it was for just a second. I saw how earnestly they grew to love their _friends_ at the corps. How Reiner slowly became torn because he truly wanted to be a soldier but couldn’t because of his task. I saw how much it pained them to hurt their newly made friends, but they were pressured into going through with it anyway!” Armin let out a sharp huff, trying to even his breath after raising his voice. “Are they innocent? No. But we are just as guilty. We killed Bertholdt, captured Annie, and were planning to slaughter Reiner too! If I can’t speak for Marley, let me at least speak for these three.” The air was still, no one dared to speak after his speech. Reiner and Annie had expressions of disbelief, Gabi and Falco were in awe, and Mikasa was speechless like the rest.

“I’m sorry,” Armin puffed. “But I’ve had enough of all the blaming. We both did bad things, let’s accept it and move on. Our mission right now is to stop Eren, and we need a clear head for that.” He sat down a short distance away from Mikasa and leaned back to rest his head on the rock behind him. The dimming fire barely illuminated the darkness of the night and soon Armin slipped into a deep sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

Armin found himself awakening in an unfamiliar place. Except, it wasn’t completely unfamiliar. The night sky was the same one he had fallen asleep to just before, but the rest was wrong – no, it was different, perhaps vaguely familiar. The ground was nothing but thousands of sand kernels, and in the sky were brightly colored streaks of green and blue. 

“The Paths,” he let out an audible gasp, his hands buried under the sand and eyes locked onto the beautiful wisps of light. 

“Hello,” the voice shot him out of his trance, and blue eyes met pale green ones. A tall, slender figure stood before Armin, an arm awkwardly rubbed the back of his head. 

“Bertholdt?” Armin asked questioningly, but his voice was filled with wonder. A cheeky smile told him all he needed to know. “Bertholdt!” Armin shouted more confidently, his face sporting a matching grin. The atmosphere quickly grew tense as Armin realized his guilt once more. He had been the one to end the other’s life. Bertholdt must’ve sensed his uneasiness and spoke up. 

“Thank you, Armin,” he said warmheartedly. Armin gazed at him in disbelief. He was a murderer, and his victim just thanked him. It didn’t add up.

“For what?” Armin asked, eyes lingering on his. 

“For protecting Reiner and Annie. For protecting us.”

“But I didn’t do anything!” Armin violently shook his head. “I killed you Bertholdt, how can you just thank me like this! I stole you away from them, do you know how desperate Reiner has been since? Gabi indicated that he had reached full-blown depression without you and Annie there to help him!”

Bertholdt chuckled before his expression grew grim. “And I thought I was defeated by a smart man. I didn’t thank you for killing me, for tearing me away from them. I thanked you for your speech. You explained our complicated past to the others. Tried to help them understand us. Don’t get me wrong, we’re guilty. We’re traitors!” His voice came out as a choked shout. “But our feelings were real, we truly loved the people inside the walls!”

The tension in Armin’s stance eased away. “We felt betrayed,” he mumbled. “I felt betrayed. But once you showed me your memories, I understood. It will be a difficult road to forgiveness, but I don’t think it’s impossible.” Armin’s face grew into a large smile.

“Perhaps you’re right,” Bertholdt said, smiling softly. 

“Hey! What do mean perhaps, remember you lost to a smart man. I’m always right!” Armin grinned mischievously, jokingly elbowing the taller man. Bertholdt let out an oof and grasped his side with both hands. 

“For a small man, you sure pack a punch,” Bertholdt grinned, his expression fading when he saw the blond’s face. Armin’s eyes were as wide as saucers, and there was a certain glint in them. Armin’s hands quickly went to touch Bertholdt, groping the clothing on the taller man’s stomach. 

“What is this about?” Bertholdt asked jokingly, confusion evident in his voice. 

“I can touch you,” Armin started. “You’re not a ghost.”

“No, I’m not. I guess it’s a perk of being a titan-shifter. Why?” Armin glanced up at him, an excited smile on his face. 

“I have an idea.”


	3. Chapter 3

The fire had long gone out, and the sky with tainted pink indicating that sunrise would soon follow. Armin straightened himself, hoping to release his stiff back, the rock was certainly not an optimal sleeping pillow. Mikasa had curled up in a ball next to him, her head laying on the cotton scarf she had once received from Eren. Armin carefully rose from the ground making sure not to disturb her sleep.

Glancing around Armin saw that the rest of the group was also sound asleep: Jean was situated next to Connie, Hanji slept next to Levi, and Annie and Reiner laid facing one another. Armin had never expected Annie to look so small and fragile, it made her seem more human. He made his way over to the two, tiptoeing past Gabi, who refused to leave her cousin’s side, and Falco, who refused to leave Gabi’s side. Armin smiled at the fondness of the act. It reminded him of when Eren, Mikasa, and he were children. They always did have a devotion to one another. 

Reaching Annie, he gave her a soft nudge on the shoulder, hoping she wouldn’t put him in a headlock. Fortunately, she stirred softly, slowly opening her eyes. 

“Armin?” She hesitated. Armin only held a finger to his lips, indicating the need for them to stay silent. He then pointed to Reiner’s sleeping figure, and Annie knew what to do. She lowered her mouth to his ear and whispered soft, encouraging words. 

“Hey, Reiner,” she patted his chest gently, before caressing his neck. “I know you’re sleepy, but it’s time to wake up.” Armin shot her a confused glance. Since when had Annie been so affectionate? Annie must’ve caught on quickly, as she mouthed an answer to his silent question. 

“It’s something Bertholdt used to do. It almost always wakes him up without causing him any distress.” Armin nodded understandingly and grinned when he saw Reiner groan, his eyes slowly opening as well. 

“What is it, Annie?” He mumbled. She put a finger to her lips before moving it to point at Armin, who motioned for them to follow. 

Once they were far away enough, Armin spoke. “I found something out last night. I don’t know if it’ll work, but I think it’s worth a try.” He tried to sound as confident as he could while giving as little away as possible. Annie only stared, waiting to hear more. “I need you guys to enter the Paths, follow them, and find the coordinate.”

“Why?” Annie was the first to speak. “Why should we do this? Why should we trust you?” Armin tensed at the last part. They had to reason to trust him, let alone follow his request. He thought of the only thing he could. 

“It had something to do with Bertholdt,” Reiner grew stiff, back and shoulders tensed tightly. “I promise,” he continued. “I won’t hurt you two.” Annie's eyes grazed over Armin’s, analyzing, and Armin’s breath hitched. 

“Alright,” Annie reluctantly gave in, elbowing Reiner to bring him out of his trance. 

“Alright,” he agreed without thought, shooting Annie a death glare while clutching his side. 

“Just so you know, I will also be entering the Paths, so I’m not trying to trick you.” Annie glared at him judgingly. 

“You know how to enter the Paths?” Annie asked, unlatching the spike of her ring.

“Yes.”

“Then you know that to do it forcefully, you’ll need to hurt yourself?”

“Yes,” Armin said, revealing the knife he clutched behind his back. 

“You could die! What then? We get accused of killing you?” Annie grew more agitated with every passing second.

“I guess you’ll just have to trust me,” Armin smiled, holding the knife to his neck before swiftly cutting down on flesh. He could feel a warmth trickling down his skin before he let the darkness engulfed him.


	4. Chapter 4

Armin awoke to a similar sight, the bright lights sored above his head, lighting up the dark sky. He was suddenly engulfed by the feeling that perhaps he had taken too long to wake up. What if Annie and Reiner had already reached the Coordinate and were waiting for him? What if they already left? Armin quickly rose from the sand and paying no mind to brush off his clothes, he rushed off to follow the line drawn by the Path. 

It had been a shot in the dark. Armin thought that the Paths all originated at one point, therefore, following them would lead to the center. He never thought he would be right. The term Coordinate had briefly fallen from Eren’s mouth when he was asked about the Paths. What else could be called that? 

Armin followed his Path until he saw two figures standing in the distance: Reiner and Annie. He ran to them, greeting them with a friendly smile and a shout of their names. Annie and Reiner looked just as confused as they did in the real world. 

“Armin,” Reiner spoke. “How did you know that following the Path would allow us titan-shifters to meet each other?” Armin grinned widely. 

“I didn’t, I guessed,” he stated bluntly, allowing him to laugh at Reiner’s gaping mouth. Annie was quick to interrupt bringing them both back to reality.

“So, you wanted us here, and here we are. Now what?” She asked, feigning an annoyed tone. 

“R-right,” Armin stuttered. “Can I ask you guys to turn around?” Annie rolled her eyes in annoyance, but Reiner simply chuckled and turned, his broad back now facing Armin. Now all Armin had to do, was hope. Hope their guest was on time. 

“Oi, Armin, why did you ask me to follow the Path, I could’ve just waited where we always m-” Armin turned to see the tall man staring at him, eyes wide and mouth agape. Reiner and Annie had turned their heads to glance over their shoulder at the familiar voice. A voice they hadn’t heard in years. 

“Rei-,” Bertholdt gasped. “Reiner?” His gaze landed on Annie. “A-Annie?” Reiner couldn’t bring himself to speak, tears threatened to fall from his eyes. Annie had now turned to face Bertholdt, nearing him slowly. 

“Armin,” Bertholdt forced out. “H-How is this possible? Are they real? Can they see me?” It was a stupid question. The way they looked at him was enough to say that yes, they could see him. Armin chuckled, nudging Reiner to say something. Reiner stumbled forward, feverishly touching the tall man’s hands before moving up to cradle his face.

“Bertl,” he said, his voice no louder than a whisper. He ran to him, clutching the man in a suffocating embrace. Annie quickly followed suit, her arms flying around Bertholdt’s waist, raking at the clothing folds of his sweater. 

“You’re here- You’re really here!” Reiner sobbed as Bertholdt closed his arms around his two friends, pulling them closer. 

“I’m here,” he cooed, letting his own tears fall. Armin was taken back by the sudden emotions. He had never seen any of them cry before last night. It showed how much the three of them had to hold back as warriors. 

After the cries had softened, Bertholdt released his grip around the two of them, turning to face Armin. “How?” He asked, eyes conveying a mix of emotions. 

“I’ll tell you another time,” Armin smiled warmly. “Use this time to its fullest.” Bertholdt turned his attention back to the blond man still holding onto him. 

“Reiner,” he grabbed his face and lifted it to meet his eyes. “I’m home.” Reiner let out a whimper but grinned, nonetheless.

“Welcome home.”


	5. Chapter 5

Sadly, as all good things, their time together was coming to a close. Although time was slowed in the Paths Realm, soon their real bodies would heal, and they would be torn from the Paths. Armin had watched silently from the sidelines, never interrupting, allowing them one last moment to say goodbye. The three had reminisced about their childhood together, recalling many embarrassing events that Reiner would’ve rather forgotten. Armin felt a sudden shiver run down his spine, an indication that he would soon return. By the looks on the others’ faces, he knew they had felt it too. The atmosphere grew solemn once again, Reiner still locked in Bertholdt’s embrace. 

“I don’t want to leave,” Reiner mumbled into Berthold’s shoulder. 

“But you have too,” Bertholdt nuzzled his nose into the short blond hairs. 

“I don’t want to either.” The two men turned to stare at the shorter blonde woman. 

“Annie?” Bertholdt said.

“I don’t want to leave you again. I want it to go back to the way it was before the crystal, before you die, before the rumbling!” Annie paused for a second, taking a deep breath before speaking again. “I’m sorry. I know it can’t go back to the way it was. I just wish-” This time it wasn’t Bertholdt or Reiner who intervened. Armin had his arm tightly wrapped around Annie, allowing her to cry into his shoulder. 

“I’m sorry, I just couldn’t watch her,” he gulped, “break.” Bertholdt nodded and glanced down at Reiner, indicating that he was thinking the same about the tall blond. 

“Bertholdt,” Reiner stirred. “I wanted to tell you something. Something I couldn’t tell you when we were-,” he winced. Bertholdt gripped the blond by the shoulder, pushing him away to look at his face. His cheeks were flushed, and quite frankly, he looked like a tomato, and Bertholdt knew what was coming. He rose his finger and pushed it against Reiner’s lips, stopping his next words. 

“Not yet,” he whispered. “Wait two more years before you say it.”

“But I want- no, I need you to know,” Reiner pleaded. He had felt guilty about not saying it before Bertholdt passed. “It’s not long, it’s only three words, please.” But Bertholdt wouldn’t let him. 

“You need me to know, and I know,” he began. “So, don’t tell me until you’re here, with me, in two years.” Reiner looked at the tall man in awe. He had known all along. He had known, but Reiner was too foolish to not act on it sooner. Reiner pushed his face into Bertholdt’s chest, allowing the hands to hold him one last time. Armin released Annie from his grip and let her join Reiner in their last hug. 

“Annie,” Bertholdt leaned down to her ear. “Take care of him for me, please.” Annie grinned and let a stream of tears leave her eye. 

“You know I will,” she grinned. “But if he annoys me, I’ll still headlock him.” Bertholdt chuckled, he was the most relieved he had ever been. 

“I wouldn’t expect anything less.” He squeezed her arm one last time and then she was gone. Annie’s body had been the first to heal, and her soul had left to return to its living body. Bertholdt turned to look at Armin, who was standing there solemnly. 

“Armin, after-“ he pointed at the blond in his embrace. “I’d like to talk with you briefly, if that’s alright.” Armin gave the man a reassuring smile and nodded. Bertholdt smiled and turned his attention back to the tall blond, gently releasing him from the embrace. 

“It’s time, Reiner,” he whispered. Reiner hesitantly backed away, his eyes never leaving Bertholdt’s green ones. The room stayed silent as Reiner seemed to be lost in thought. 

“You’ll wait for me?” Reiner asked finally.

“I’ve always have been.”

“Two years?” The words had meant to be a statement, but they came out like a proposal. Bertholdt only nodded in response, and leaning down to meet Reiner’s ear, he mumbled his last words to him.

“Wake up.”


	6. Chapter 6

Reiner awoke to the harsh shaking of Jean. 

“Haven’t you slept enough already! Any injuries should’ve healed by now!” Jean yelled, before throwing the blond man back to the ground. He quickly turned his attention to the other blond.

“Oi, Armin. Since when do you sleep with them, and what the hell are you doing so far away from the campsite? What if you get eaten?” He chastised Armin, before heading back to the others. Annie sat up next to Reiner, giving him a soft smile, which was quickly returned. They both turned to Armin, briefly scaring the small blond.

“Thank you,” they both said in unison, helping the boy stand. Armin gave them a sleepy smile, yawning loudly. 

“That reminds me,” Reiner said. “Why did Bertholdt want to speak with you?” Armin’s eyes grew wide. 

“Shit, I almost forgot,” he hastily brushed off his clothing and thanked Reiner for the reminder before rushing off towards the group. 

“What was that all about?” Annie asked, but Reiner could only shrug. He had no idea. 

Armin hurried towards Jean, remembering the previous night while he walked. Bertholdt had asked him to stay behind after Reiner’s soul returned. 

“You wanted to speak with me?” Armin asked, approaching the taller man. 

“Yes. I don’t know how you managed to pull this off, but thank you,” Bertholdt said warmly, hugging the blond tightly. 

“You’re welcome, Bertholdt, but surely that’s not the only reason you wanted to talk to me,” Armin said. “I saw a glint in your eye when you asked me earlier. So, what is it?”

“When I died,” Bertholdt paused when he saw Armin flinch. The topic was still a sensitive one for the blond. “I didn’t wake up here immediately.” Bertholdt scanned Armin for some type of reaction, and as always, Armin didn’t disappoint. 

“You mean?” His eyes were wide.

“Yes, I saw the others. The dead: Marco, Erwin, Moblit. I got the chance to speak with them too.”

“And they told you to pass on a message?” Bertholdt grinned at the boy, he truly was a clever young man. 

“Yes.”

Armin reached for Jean’s arm, pulling him to the side. 

“Oi, Armin, why- all of a sudden?” Jean stuttered.

“I have a message for you,” Armin grinned, he was brimming with excitement. 

“A message?” Jean was confused. Why would a message cause Armin to practically be bouncing with excitement? “From whom?”

“Ton ange. (your angel)” Jean sputtered. His eyes were wide, and he was gasping for breath.

“Only I knew- this is impossible,” Armin looked at him warmly. 

“Bertholdt passed on the message. It seemed important,” he said, hoping to calm Jean a bit. “Marco wanted to tell you that you don’t have to worry about him anymore. He’s happy that he met you in this life, and that he can’t wait to see you again. When Bertholdt asked about your relationship, Marco said something along the lines of: our time was too short to realize our potential. ” Armin paused, allowing it to sink in. Jean had long broken out in sobs, tears streaming down his face. 

“That’s right,” Jean cried. “Our time was too short to realize our potential.” Jean spared Armin a solemn grin, squeezing the blond’s shoulder in a silent thanks. 

“Don’t forget him,” Armin wiped a tear from Jean’s face. “He said he’ll be waiting for you.”

“I know,” Jean breathed, and wiped his eyes with his sleeve. “Thank you,” he said before moving to sit with Connie. Armin watched him leave, the tension in his back was gone. Jean seemed saddened, but also relieved – something Armin hadn’t seen in a long time. He smiled to himself and headed towards Hanji, who stood next to Levi. 

“Two birds with one stone,” Armin chuckled and called to Hanji. “Commander!” Hanji turned to him and grinned. 

“Hanji, please,” she said, “and you seem well rested!” Armin nodded before letting a serious expression paint over his face.

“I have a message for you,” he said. Hanji sensed the stern atmosphere and responded quickly.

“A message? From whom?” She asked. 

“Well I actually have one for Captain Levi, as well,” Armin said. He heard the Captain grumble before straightening himself on the cart. 

“Levi, you shouldn’t sit up like that, you could hurt yourself again!” Hanji screeched, leaping to push the man back down.

“Relax four-eyes. It can’t get any worse than this,” he motioned towards his face. “Spit it out Armin, who’s the message from?” 

“The first one is from Moblit,” Armin paused nervously analyzing Hanji’s reaction. 

“If you think this prank is funny Arlert, let me tell you it isn’t.” She warned. 

“It’s not!” Armin waved his hands defensively. “Before Bertholdt landed in the Paths Realm, he got a chance to speak with them. I met Bertholdt last night with Annie and Reiner. He gave me a message for Jean, You, and the Captain!”

“How could you have met with Bertholdt? He’s dead! Have you completely lost your mind?” Hanji neared Armin to see if he had secretly gotten a concussion. 

“He’s not lying,” Jean spoke up, Reiner and Annie were perched behind him. “He passed on a message from Marco, I’m certain it was Marco.” 

“We’ve seen Bertholdt last night, in the Paths Realm,” Annie and Reiner said in agreement. Jean’s eyes widened.

“You saw him? Why do only you two get to see that bastard, I- ” Jean’s rant was interrupted by Armin, who was desperately pushing the three of them away from Hanji and the Captain. He wanted there to be peace when he delivered the news. 

“So, you did meet him,” Hanji stood in awe. “A-And you have a message for me? From Moblit?” She stuttered, she was on the brink of tears. 

“Yes,” Armin said kindly. “He said that he doesn’t regret saving you. The only thing he does regret is not telling you he loves you.” Armin tried to say the words slowly, wanting to portray the passionate message as realistically as possible, he had always been awkward with the subject, but he knew how important it was for it to be conveyed properly. 

“That idiot,” Hanji mumbled, looking at the sky. “You idiot!” She shouted, tears freely leaking from her eyes. She rose a hand to her eye-patch, caressing it gently. “I love you too, you idiot,” she whispered, before situating herself next to Levi. “Thank you, Armin,” she paused, “for telling me this.” 

“You’re welcome,” he smiled, “but I’m not finished yet.” His eyes wandered over to meet Levi’s unbandaged one. Hanji also turned to look at him. 

“Captain, there’s a message for you too,” Armin hesitated. Perhaps the Captain already knew who it was from. Levi gazed unwaveringly at the blond, he had his full attention on the boy, he even seemed a bit desperate. “It’s from the Commander,” Armin continued. Levi’s eye widened, and he winced in pain the skin pulled at his wounds. 

“Erwin,” he breathed. The silence that followed was the permission Armin needed to continue. 

“He said,” Armin held his breath. “He does regret dying. He’s thankful that you made the last decision for him, and he’s also glad you didn’t give him the serum that would turn him into the enemy. He misses the way you would come into his office and force him to clean up every morning; he misses your snarky comments, and he misses the scent of black tea by this side.” Armin watched as Levi’s eye began to water, missing the one last thing that would cause the dam to burst. “He said, he’ll wait for you.” And that was all he needed. Levi let go of the pain in the same way Hanji had done - he screamed, his tears now freely streaming down his face. 

Hanji was quick to pull the small man into an embrace, carefully making sure not to hurt him in the process. She held his head to her chest, slowly rocking them back and forth. Occasionally she would let out a shushing noise, similarly to how Annie comforted Reiner in the prior night. Hanji met Armin’s gaze and silently thanked him. Armin excused himself and returned to the group. 

He let his gaze fall upon the smiling faces at the camp. Gabi sat curled up into a grinning Reiner’s chest, with an arm draped around her to hold her in place. Annie sat across from them with Falco’s head laying on her leg, and, although she wasn’t smiling, a glint in her eye told Armin all he needed to know. Jean sat on the other side of the camp laughing his head off, while Connie had one arm draped around his shoulder, the other smacked his knee repeatedly. Armin could only imagine the joke that was said – no, scratch that – he didn’t want to imagine anything that would make those two laugh. His gaze fell to the middle of the camp. At the far end, was Mikasa. Her face was blank as ever, but her hands were outstretched, almost like she was expecting a hug. Armin grinned mischievously and heading towards her, scooping her up into an embrace. 

“Why the sudden need for contact, Mikasa?” He chuckled sheepishly. Mikasa looked up to meet his eyes, he saw a sparkle similar to the one in Annie’s eyes, and he knew.

“Everyone else was receiving hugs. And you disappeared before I woke up, I was craving some contact,” she said bluntly.

“Well, Mikasa, if you want, we can stay like this for the rest of eternity, we have all the time in the world. I’ll never let go!” Armin tightened his hold on the girl, a huff escaping her lips.

“If you don’t let go in the next five minutes, I’ll kick you,” she warned. Armin chuckled, Mikasa’s warnings were never to be taken lightly, but this time he let himself ignore it. He let himself soak in the fond warmth of the embrace, it truly did make him feel like he had all the time in the world, and he almost believed it. Until he heard the faint mumble of a female voice.

“1-minute left.”


End file.
